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PREVENTION
Preventing
child abduction is a two-step process: educating yourself and educating
your
child.
"NO" is the magic word. Teach your
child that not every adult
has the right
to touch
her or tell her what to do. This is especially true when your child is
asked to
do anything you have told her is wrong. In these instances, it is okay"
for
your child to say "no" to an adult.
EDUCATING
YOURSELF
- Never
leave your child alone in public ... not even for a second.
- Know
where your child is. Know who his friends are and where they live.
- Avoid
dressing your child in clothes that display her name. Your child may
not
realize that someone who knows her name is not necessarily her friend.
- Make it a habit to know what your child is
wearing
every day.
- Let
the school know who is authorized to pick up your child.
- File
a request with your child's elementary school to notify you when your child is absent without
prior notification and consent.
EDUCATING
YOUR CHILD
Communication
is the key... Be someone your child can talk with. Try to be sensitive
to what
your child is saying. Let him know that you love him no matter what and
that he
can talk to you about anything.
Properly taught, safety can become as
automatic
as learning to look both ways before crossing the street.
TEACH
YOUR CHILD
- His
full name and address and how to write them.
- Her
full telephone number - including the area code - and how to dial it.
Teach her
that the operator is a friend.
- Never
to enter anyone's home or car without your permission whether your
child knows
the person or not.
- Not
to answer the door when you're not home, and never to say he is alone
to
someone on the phone.
- That
if you are separated in a store or other public place, she should go
directly
to a clerk at a desk and ask for help. She should never leave the store
or go
to the parking lot.
- Not
to go near occupied cars. It only takes a moment for a car door to open
and a
child to disappear.
- About
strangers. Children are trusting. A stranger is anyone you and your
child do
not know and trust. This includes dressed in a uniform, such as nurses
and
security guards. Strangers can be kind and friendly, but they are still
strangers.
- To
go places in a group, not alone.
- What
a "safe place" is. It can be a helping-hand home, a store, the police
station, a firehouse.
- That
if someone is following him or approaching him, to run to a "safe
place" and ask for help. Hiding leaves him vulnerable.
- That
adults rarely ask children for directions or help. If that happens, she
should
ignore the person asking and go immediately home or to another "safe
place."
- A
secret family password. Teach your child that it is important that he
never go
with anyone who doesn't voluntarily offer this word without guessing.
- To
call home if anyone tells her that you're dead or sick or that you
don't love
her anymore.
- To
trust his instincts if a situation seems wrong to him, and to get away
quickly.
BE
PREPARED
If
your child is missing, the sooner the search begins the greater the
chances for
recovery. New laws enable the police to take immediate action.
Be
prepared. Have all the information needed before a crisis.
BE
ORGANIZED
- Keep
a list of your neighbors and their telephone numbers for this purpose
only.
- Keep
a list of the names, phone numbers, and addresses of:
- your
child's school and teachers
- the
school's transportation coordinator
- all
your child's friends and their parents' names
- your
child's workplace, if applicable
- the
park, playground, or recreational facilities
- all
family members and relatives
- babysitters
- non-custodial
parent, or birth parent, if either is applicable
- hospitals
- law
enforcement agencies.
- Have
In a safe place:
- A
recent, clear photograph of your child. School photos are ideal. Note
height,
weight, hair and eye color on the photo. If your child is under two years old, take new
photos
four times a year.
- Fingerprints
of your child taken by the police, and any additional forms supplied by
the
police at the time of fingerprinting.
- A
detailed, written description of your child, including height, weight,
hair and
eye color, skin complexion, build, any eye disorders, moles, freckles,
scars,
pierced ears, skin discolorations, tattoos, type of jewelry usually
worn, and
any unusual habits.
- Update
once a year your child's medical history, and check with your child's
doctor
and dentist to make sure their records are ready for release, If
necessary.
IF
YOUR CHILD IS MISSING ...
Follow
your plan. The sooner the search begins, the better are the chances for
recovery:
- Search
all out-of-the-way places, including closets, attic, basement, crawl
spaces,
garage, tool shed, bushes, etc.
- Call
the people on your list.
- Call the police.
NEW
YORK STATE MISSING CHILDREN'S REGISTRY
In
New York State, your missing child immediately will be entered in the
statewide
missing children's registry located at DCJS. Here's how it works:
- You
file a police report.
- You
supply identification records, and authorizations for medical and
dental information
to be released to the police.
- All
data are entered immediately in the state and national missing
children's
registries, and are accessible through computer terminals used by
police
departments throughout the country.
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ONE
LAST WORD ...
Authorize
the police to include your child in programs designed to publicize the
cases of
missing children. For instance, the NYS Thruway Authority will work
with police
agencies and DCJS by printing pictures and information about New York's
missing children for
statewide
distribution along
the Thruway.
For
copies of this brochure, other available materials, and/or to report a
missing
child, call the following toll- free number: 1-800-FIND-KID
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